Files are processed in your browser, not uploaded. Privacy →
Deckle
Open a PDF
Skip to guide

On your device

PDF tasks on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and Chromebook

By DeckleUpdated

Deckle works in the web browser on a Mac, a Windows PC, an iPhone or iPad, an Android phone and a Chromebook, with nothing to install. Open the tool, choose your file, make your changes and download the new PDF; the files are processed on your device and not uploaded. Pick your device and task below, and each guide also covers the device's own built-in method so you can compare.

Merge PDF
Illustrated document pages containing a chart, photograph and text.
Illustration · a document can contain more than its visible pages.

Find your device and task

Task Mac Windows iPhone and iPad Android Chromebook
Merge PDFs Mac Windows iPhone Android Chromebook
Split a PDF Mac Windows iPhone Android Chromebook
Delete pages Mac Windows iPhone Android
Rotate pages Mac Windows iPhone Android
Rearrange pages Mac
JPG to PDF Mac Windows Android Chromebook
PNG to PDF Mac Windows iPhone
HEIC to PDF Mac Windows
TIFF to PDF Windows
PDF to JPG Mac Windows iPhone Android Chromebook
Password protect Mac Windows iPhone
Remove metadata Mac Windows
PDF to text Mac Windows

Files kept in Google Drive have their own guide: how to merge PDFs stored in Google Drive.

A blank cell means there is no separate guide for that pair. The Deckle steps are the same on every device, so any guide in the same row works.

What is the same on every device

Deckle is one web app, so the tools look and behave the same everywhere:

  1. Open the tool in your browser, such as Merge PDFs.
  2. Choose Select files (or Select a file for tools that work on one PDF), or drop files onto the page on a computer.
  3. Set the options. The action button stays disabled until the setup is valid and says what is missing.
  4. Choose the action button, such as Merge PDFs or Create PDF.
  5. Download the new file. The file you opened is not changed.

The result screen states what was done, such as "24 pages combined from 3 PDFs", and a Verified line lists the checks that ran on the new file.

What differs between devices

Computers (Mac, Windows, Chromebook) iPhone and iPad Android
Choosing files Drag and drop, or the file picker The file picker, which opens Files or Photos The file picker, which opens your files or photos
Largest image per page 16 megapixels 4 megapixels 16 megapixels on most phones; 4 on phones with 2 GB of memory or less
Largest photo accepted for image to PDF 64 megapixels 25 megapixels 64 megapixels on most phones; 25 on phones with 2 GB of memory or less
Where downloads go A folder you pick in Chrome and Edge; the Downloads folder in Safari and Firefox The Downloads folder in the Files app The folder you pick, or the Downloads folder, depending on the browser

When you convert photos to PDF, a photo over the per-page limit is scaled down to fit it, and the review lists each one before you start. A 24-megapixel iPhone photo converts everywhere, but keeps only 4 megapixels on iPhone and iPad; a 48-megapixel photo converts on a computer and is refused on iPhone and iPad. For PDF-to-image exports the per-page limit is a hard limit: A4 pages exported at the Standard resolution fit within the phone limit, while Print is over the 4-megapixel limit on iPhone and iPad.

Deckle or the built-in app?

Every platform has some PDF features of its own, from Preview on a Mac to the print dialog's Save as PDF on Android and ChromeOS. The device guides describe them where they do the job. The main differences:

  • Deckle creates a new file and leaves the original as it was. Some built-in apps edit the file you opened when you save.
  • Deckle works the same way on all your devices. A built-in method learned on a Mac does not help on a Windows PC at work.
  • Built-in apps need no internet connection once installed. Deckle needs the site to load in your browser, although the files themselves are processed on your device.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to install anything?

No. Deckle runs in a current version of Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox. There is no app or extension to install.

Are my files uploaded when I use Deckle on my phone?

No. The tools run in the browser on your phone, and the files are processed there.

Can I use Deckle with files in iCloud Drive, OneDrive or Google Drive?

Yes, through your device's file picker, which can open files from cloud folders it has access to. Deckle has no direct cloud connection, so save the result back yourself.

Which browser should I use?

The one you already use. Safari shows thumbnails of HEIC photos; other browsers may show a format tile instead, but the conversion still works.

Related tools